An Unschooled Mom's Guide to Family Travel & Expat Life

How To Pack for a Weekend Away with Kids

Going away for a weekend with your kids? Me, too! Here’s my detailed, tongue-in-cheek guide for how to pack when traveling with kids! Especially if you’re a disorganized mom like me. This is the reality of packing with kids.

Enjoy!

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How not to pack for a weekend with kids

1. Wake up in your hotbox of house because the air conditioning quit a few days ago and realize that today is FRIDAY. You are LEAVING TODAY. You washed clothes last night! Win! Throw clothes in the dryer and realize you didn’t wash anything you actually needed. Fail! Start another load of laundry.

2. Take a quick, coldish shower. The house is really hot.

Lake Erie sunset. A reminder of why we make time and effort to travel.

3. Start packing. Something you need is in the other room. The kids bounce in and take everything out while you’re in that room. See what you just packed is now strewn all over the room. Yell that you don’t need help and will you PLEASE GO PLAY? We only have a million toys! My things are NOT TOYS!!

4. Apologize for yelling because it’s one of the things you are trying to not do except in dangerous situations. Take a deep breath, accept yourself and your flaws. You realize you are hot and sweaty again. Is there time for a second shower?!

Wonder Woman with her buddies, the Rescue Bots. And the great toddler hand from the sky.

5. Find clean underwear for everyone. Repack everything that had been unpacked.

6. Stop to write a blog post because you are waiting for the washer and dryer to be done.

Stop. Buzzer time.

7. Hear the buzzer. Stop mid-sentence to change the laundry. Tell everyone in Internet Land that you folded all the clothes like Wonder Woman, but really, you didn’t because who has time for that? Oh, you do? Nevermind (PS – either way, you’re awesome!)

8. Found wearable shorts in dryer. They are still hot. Put them in freezer for a few minutes. Freezer pants are absolute bliss to wear for 30 seconds on a hot day. After that, they are just like normal pants.

9. Realize that if you don’t stop writing the blog list, you will never get packed. Curse your lack of planning in advance. Forgive yourself because the dog got really sick the same day the AC quit and required immediate vet attention (he’s okay). The other dog ended up being sick, too, probably from their stay last week while we were on vacation. Everyone is now doing better.

Procrastinate (by doing stuff you procrastinated on last week)

10. Finally remember to email the B&B to ask if they found the shoes we left there last week. They did and threw them out after a few days of being unclaimed. Get really upset with self. Get really upset in general. Then tell self to calm the heck down. Draw the line and move on. Breathe. Move on.

11. Continue packing. Make sure everyone has three or four of everything for a 2.5 day trip. It’s way too much.

12. Forget something, but NEVER forget the carrier! The baby carrier, that is!

On our last trip, having the carrier along made life a little easier! The 3 year old is hiding back there! I would rather forget everything else, but not the carrier.

How do you pack for a weekend away with your kids? Do you make detailed packing lists? Do you have any awesome, helpful tips for disorganized moms?

P.S. Need a baby or toddler carrier? One of my favorites is available on amazon! The brand is Beco. Check it out!

Beware of Fake Babycarriers

Please be aware of extremely cheap carriers that can be found on Amazon.com. There are many fakes and untested carriers offered. These are UNSAFE and should be avoided at all costs. The safety of your baby is at stake. Ergos are available at target and should be purchased there and not on Amazon, as Ergo carriers are the most well done fakes. If in doubt, call Ergo for verification.

This is so true.. When we traveled with our kids when they were younger, I always knew there was a Wal-Mart somewhere along the way and if we forgot something, we would always find a way to make it work. Isn’t it interesting how the washer and dryer get a work out BEFORE you leave home AND when you return?

This was funny 🙂 People around me are having babies and this gives me a sense of what it’s like 😉
Also, freezer pants is a BRILLIANT idea. I’m probably going to try it too. Big hugs to your little ones, and to you 🙂

FREEZER PANTS. Why didn’t I think of that!? This list reminds me of the camping trips my parents took us on when we were kids. Just a bunch of screaming excited kids and my poor Mom trying to rein us in, haha! I’m amazed you find time to fit in laundry at all, to be honest. 🙂

Thanks for the laugh! Ha! I always stress about packing snacks since one of my daughters and I can’t have gluten. As long as we have snacks, we can always wear the same clothes over and over. Love the “freezer pants.”

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About Blissmersion

Natalie is an American expat currently residing in Central Mexico. She blogs mostly about education, travel, and expat life.

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Posts might contain affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. These payments help reduce costs of running this site. I appreciate you visiting today!

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